What’s worse than ordering takeout to find out that it’s cold, or it seeped through the bottom into the bag? It sucks, right? Well, the correct takeout containers are vital for the success of a service, and if you mess this up, customers get lost. With more and more offering takeout as a result of the pandemic, having this in the correct containers are how customers are kept nice and happy. Here are a few things to consider when you’re looking at takeout packaging.
The Material matters
The material you choose will make or break this. Salads don’t need to be packaged in containers that keep it hot, whereas say a chicken dinner must. The same goes to beverages too, where the container for a smoothie will be different than a cup of coffee of course.
Foam containers are probably the most common one since it’s perfect for leftovers and carryout and is also lightweight and durable. They’re great for keeping the food that needs to be cold, cold, and also traps heat in so that the food stays nice and warm. You cannot put these in the microwave though, so that’s probably the major downside.
Foil containers are a big one too, and they’re great for foods that are oily and greasy, since it does get repelled to a degree. They’re not microwavable of course, but they are great for putting in the oven, making them oven friendly. Paper food containers are becoming a hot and popular option because they’re versatile and recyclable. Chinese food for example was using paper containers before many do. They take up less weight, and you can actually put some in the microwave. However, they do leak if you don’t get the grease-resistant versions of this.
Plastic food containers are another option, and they’re great if you want something save for both the freezer and the microwave. This is great as well for something durable too. The biggest downside is they’re not the most environmentally friendly as well, and usually, they are also the most expensive of the various options that are out there.
The Looks Matter
You also may want to choose something that also highlights the look of this. For example, if you’re selling macaroons, you want to put them in a container that actually looks good. The same goes for cakes too. They can be simple, but adding custom food paper, or even custom sleeves does add a nice little branding touch.
Sustainable options
When people order takeout, you might want to consider offering something that’s compostable or recyclable, since it’s something that’ll help make sure that you’re nor harming the environment. Sustainable packaging options are great for branding too, as it can improve the brand image, while also helping out your environment.
You can also save some money by going green. You can get recyclable containers that are recycled like everything else. There are some plastics however, that don’t get recycled, so you should know what they are, and which ones are good for the environmental needs too.
Compostable ones are pretty cool too, as they can be thrown out, and they are broken down in composting facilities. These are great for eco-friendly packaging, but it definitely can be hard to get people to actually do this. Finally, you’ve got the reusable ones, which means that you literally can use this again. Some restaurants may charge a small fee, but if you bring this again, you’re not harming the environment and it can be filled again. Takeout containers do vary, and there are a lot of options.
